Guns, women and misappropriated funds: Iraqi Trade Minister charged

Guns, women and fistfuls of allegedly misappropriated dollars: the trail leading to the arrest of the former Iraqi Trade Minister has the perfect ingredients for a corruption scandal.

Abdul-Falah al-Sudani, who resigned from his position last month, was held after his aircraft was ordered back to Baghdad airport having taken off for Dubai.

Mr al-Sudani, a member of the Dawa party of the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, is due to be transferred today to al-Samawah in southern Iraq, where he will face charges of mismanaging the Trade Ministry by importing expired foods, engaging in illegal contracts and nepotism.